In addition to the foregoing, the Council committee recommended that
a new engine house be built at the head of the Common Sewer, at Burling
Slip, near Pearl Street, for Engine No 18, and with respect to the
floating engine, that a boat be immediately procured for it, and placed
in one of the most central slips on the East River, with a force of
thirty able-bodied men. Protests were subsequently presented against
this location for the engine house, and it was decided that a more
eligible site would be at Beekman's Slip, supplying shipping with water.
As these changes and assignments called for the employment of an
additional number of fifty-one men, which would increase the employment
to a greater number then the law allowed, it was decided to apply to the
legislature to increase the number of firemen to six hundred.

The Fire Department consisted of a single engineer, who received his
appointment from the common Council, and, who was invested with absolute
control over the companies, engines, and all else that pertained to the
organization; a number of fire wardens, commissioned by the same
authority to inspect buildings, chimneys, etc., and to keep order at
fires; and several voluntary companies under the direction of a foreman,
assistant, and clerk of their own choosing. A few engine houses had been
built; the greater part of the hooks and ladders, buckets, etc., were
deposited for safe keeping in the City hall. Several of these pioneer
companies retained their organization up to the time of the disbandment
of the Volunteer System.

At this time, the city, though the metropolis of the western world,
was a mere village in comparison with the city of today. The city prior
was bounded on Broadway by Anthony, on the North River by Harrison, and
on the East River by Rutgers Street; even within these limits the houses
were scattering, and surrounded by large gardens and vacant lots;
Broadway ended at Astor Place, where a pole fence, stretching across the
road, formed the southern boundary of the Randall Farm, afterwards the
endowment of the Sailors' Snug Harbor.

In November, 1802, the engine house at Hanover Square was removed to
the Old Slip. On the twenty-ninth of the month the engine house of No. 4
in Nassau Street, between John and Fair Street, was removed to the
public ground near the office of the Kine-pock Institution.

According to the report of the fire wardens of the Third Ward there
were, in March, 1803, one thousand three hundred and thirty-eight fire
buckets, and a deficiency of six hundred and fifty-two. The inhabitants
of that ward were opposed to throwing out or carrying their buckets to a
fire; and so frequent had become the loss of buckets at the fires, and
on account of the impediments which existed in getting payment for those
lost from the corporation, that many of the Third Warders were in revolt
against the system, and declared they would not lend their buckets at
all. In May one thousand fire buckets were ordered by the corporation
for the use of the firemen. Engine No. 23 was destroyed at a fire which
occurred in this month.

One of the terrible fires which were wont to ravage the city
periodically before the introduction of fire-proof buildings and the
existence of an efficient fire department, broke out on the eighteenth
of December, 1804, in a grocery in Front Street, and raged with fury for
several hours, burning the old Coffee House, on the corner of Pearl and
Wall Streets, the scene of so many patriotic gatherings in the days of
the Revolution, with many other of the old landmarks of the city. Forty
stores and dwellings were destroyed by the fire, which was supposed to
have been the work of an incendiary. The loss of property was estimated
at two millions of dollars.

Even so early as this year the necessity for settling a regular plan
of streets, for a distance of eight miles in length and the width of the
island, was anticipated by the legislature, and a plan was established
by law comprehending in its features the cutting down of mountains and
the filling up of valleys to a regular and uniform grade over all that
extent.

In December the number of fire wardens in each ward was increased to
six, Gilbert Aspinwall resigned as warden, and John Ellis was appointed
in his stead. John De Peyster and John Kane were appointed additional
fire wardens in the Second Ward; Thomas Taylor, John L. Van Kleeck, and
William H. Ireland in the Third Ward; and James Taller in the Fourth
Ward.

In 1805 another fire ordinance was passed, which is in many respects
similar to that of 1793. It is more comprehensive, however, and the
fines imposed are in U. S. Currency.

It provides, in addition to the other, substantially as follows: The
firemen of the city to consist of one chief, and as many other
"engineers, fire wardens, hook and ladder men, and other
firemen," as may be appointed by the mayor, etc., as firemen, and
be distinguished by the said appellations.

The chief is to have control of the firemen, subject to the Common
Council, and the engineer shall take proper measures for having the
several engines "placed, filled, and worked," at fires. He is
also to have charge of the repairs of engines, and to see that they are
kept in good working order.

It changes the distinguishing badges, etc., to be worn by fire
officials at fires, as follows:

In order that the members of the Common council, engineers and fire
Wardens, may be more readily distinguished at fires, the Mayor,
Recorder, aldermen,
and Assistants, shall each have on those occasions a white wand of at
least five
feet in length, with a gilded flame at the top, and each of the
engineers shall have a
leather cap painted white, with a gilt front thereto, and an Engine
painted thereon,
and have a good speaking Trumpet painted black; and each of the Fire
Wardens
shall wear a like cap with the City arms painted on the front and the
Crown painted
black, and have also a speaking Trumpet, painted white. And the names
and places
of abode of the members of the Common Council, Engineers, and Fire
Wardens, shall from time to time be fixed up in writing in the Watch
Houses by the Aldermen respectively in whose Ward the Watch House shall
be.*** And, moreover, it shall be the duty of every Watchman, upon
breaking out of fire at or near his Watch Station, to alarm the citizens
by the crying of fire, and mentioning the street where it shall be on
his way to the nearest Watch Station, "so that the citizens and
firemen generally be made acquainted where and in what Street to
repaid."

But if a chimney take fire after the watch is set, the watchman is
enjoined to prevent the ringing of any bell, so that the firemen and
citizens be not unnecessarily alarmed.

The former provision as to the placing of a lighted candle in the
front window, is renewed here, and reappears in all ordinances down to
the year 1860.

The hook and ladder men shall be divided into companies, which shall
each choose a foreman, assistant, and clerk, out of their own number.
They are required, under penalty of one dollar and fifty cents, in case
of fire, to bring the necessary hooks and ladders to the scene of the
fire ands to use the same, under the direction of the members of the
Common Council and engineers, and after the fire is extinguished, to
return them to where they are usually deposited. The capacity of the
fire buckets is increased to two-and-a-half gallons.

The firemen (other than engineers, fire wardens, and hook and ladder
men), shall be divided into companies, one to be assigned to each of the
fire engines belonging, or that may hereafter belong, to the city, and
each company shall choose a foreman, assistant, and clerk out of their
number.

It became apparent in 1805 that the means employed for the
extinguishment of fire required, and were susceptible of, much
improvement. The increasing extent of the city and its population
enhanced the possibilities of frequent and dangerous fires, at the same
time that it supplied the means and indicated the propriety of putting
the Fire Department upon a more effective and systematic footing. The
utility of the floating engine had become fully established. But as it
could not always be moved in due season to the place where it was
wanted, it was proposed to procure another of the same kind. For a
similar reason, and also because at some seasons the ice or other causes
might wholly prevent the floating engines from being moved, it was
recommended that two engines of like power be procured and placed on
wheels, for service within the city. These latter were not intended as
substitutes for the floating engines, but it was thought that four
engines of the power specified were not more than could be usefully and
profitably employed on many occasions. Certain of the engines then in
use--Nos. 2, 5, 6, and 16--were both too small and greatly out of
repair, and it was decided to sell them, and that in future uniformity
in size and power in engines be attended to throughout the department.
The screws of the leaders were of different sizes, which led
occasionally to trouble at critical moments. Uniformity in that respect,
too, was to be observed regarding engines of similar power, and every
common engine should have at least four leaders of forty feet each.

In May, 1805, it was decided to build a new engine house in the
Seventh Ward on a site offered by Smith Place in Rivington Street,
between Third and Fourth Streets, and the chief engineer was ordered to
furnish one of the best of the small engines for the company to be
established there. On the thirteenth of the month the engine house in
the City Hall yard was extended so as admit of the reception of the
engine then stationed in Nassau Street on ground belonging to the
Presbyterian Church. The chief engineer was authorized, in September, to
station fire engines at Greenwich Street, and form a new company. Divie
Bethune, Jeremiah F. Randolph, Hector Scott, Peter H. Wendover, and
Samuel L. Page, Jr., were appointed fire wardens, of the Eight Ward.
Engine No. 13, situated at the Fly Market, was given a new location at
the head of Burling Slip, in December. In the spring of the following
year a new fire engine house was erected on the ground of the New Dutch
Church in Liberty Street. About the same time Hugh McCormick, of No. 2
Jacob Street, was appointed a fireman of Company No. 7, instead of John
Minuse resigned; Nehemiah Ludlam, Philip Ruckle, and Water Whitehead
were appointed to No. 15, instead of James Bertine, Jeremiah Woods, and
Jacob Peterson, resigned; Abraham Dwyer, David Hubbs, John Gillmour, and
Benjamin Haight, to Company No. 13, instead of John Heyer, Frederick
Miller, Samuel Burtis, and John Cavanaugh.